Spinach & Potato Pulav / Aloo Palak Pulav

The combination of spinach and aloo is great. It is health, spicy, tasty and simple to prepare too.

Recipe Source: My friend Archana

Serves: As a main course for 2 people.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice --- 1 Cup
Water --- 2 cups
Spinach / Palak leaves --- a handful or (when chopped 1 ½ cup tightly)

Potato / Aloo --- 2 medium size
Onion --- ½ of the big one
Ghee --- 2 Tblsn
Cloves --- 4
Cardamom Pods --- 2
Cinnamon Stick --- 1 small
Bay leaf --- 2-3
Star Anise --- 1 (Optional)
Cumin Seeds --- ½ tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste --- 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder --- a pinch
Salt --- to taste
Red Chilly Powder --- ¾ tsp
Garam Masala --- ½ tsp

Process:

Clean and soak a cup of basmati rice.

Take a handful of spinach leaves. Clean and chop them. When chopped it should come 1 ½ cup tightly. Keep it aside.

Slice half of a big onion. Keep it aside.

Peel and chop potatoes into cubes and keep them in water. So tht potatoes won’t discolour.

Heat 2 Tblsn of ghee or oil in a pan or in a pressure cooker.

Add 4 cloves, 2 pods of cardamom, 1 small cinnamon stick, 2-3 bay leaves, a star anise which is optional, ½ tsp of cumin seeds. Fry till cloves splutter or for a minute.

Add sliced onion and a tsp of ginger-garlic paste. Sauté till the onions turn to translucent.

Add chopped spinach. Fry till limp.

Add cubed potatoes. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add cleaned & soaked basmati rice, a pinch of turmeric powder, enough salt, ¾ tsp of red chilly powder, ½ tsp of garam masala. Fry for 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of water and adjust salt at this stage itself and cook till done in the rice cooker or keep it for 2 whistles in the pressure cooker as Archana said.

Mix well and serve hot with curds or raita.